Raw Silk

Day 43 (Thursday 12th January 2017)

43 species have now been declared Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN

Each of these creatures can now only be found in zoos. Amongst the 43 are:

• Alagoas curassow (extinct in the wild since 1988)
• Black soft-shell turtle (extinct in the wild since 2002)
• Escarpment cycad (extinct in the wild since 2006)
• Guam rail (extinct in the wild since the 1980s)
• Hawaiian crow or ʻalalā (extinct in the wild since 2002)
• Scimitar oryx (extinct in the wild since 1998 - pictured above in Cincinnati Zoo)
• Socorro dove (extinct in the wild since 1972)
• Wyoming toad (extinct in the wild since 1991)

Today's author, Janine Baillie-Stewart, lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa. She wrote this post on New Year's Eve - it uses the symbolism of one of the gifts she received at Christmas to focus her thoughts and to provide a message for us, her readers. Janine is a highly capable senior HR professional, with over 24 years of Human Resources and OD experience gained in the Public Sector, Retail, FMCG, Pharmaceuticals and Manufacturing industries. She is one of the few I know who can rival me for experience in start ups, SMEs, established, global or local, public and privately owned organisations. She believes in authenticity and living a balanced life and she leads by example. 

Janine has worked at GSK for the past four years and is currently the Learning Business Partner for the Consumer Healthcare Supply Chain division for across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. She is a sporadic blogger, commenting on life and things that matter to her, on JanineBSBlog. As you will deduce from her writing, Janine has an eye for detail and is full of heart. Her academic roots are in Psychology and she is loving and caring, a devoted mother, with a genuine concern for the environment and our future. You can find her on Twitter, her handle is @JanineBS.

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Raw Silk

I received a truly beautiful Tree of Life wall hanging for my small garden this Christmas. Of all things symbolic, it is the one which truly resonates with me.

Now, with a small lull in the hive of holiday activity, I have some time to reflect.

The Tree of Life is symbolic in many cultures and religions. Universal symbolism.

Baobab Tree at Sunset, oil painting by Errol Norbury
In Africa the Baobab is known as the Tree of Life

The symbolic meanings come from all the aspects of the tree and how these interact with the earth's elements. The deep strong ground roots embracing the fertile soil of Mother Earth, the green open-faced leaves reaching to the glorious sun for much-needed sustenance, bringing healing. The solid towering trunk supporting, standing firm and at times bracing against the relentless wind. The fruits give back of themselves to Nature which has provided for their growth and abundance.

The tree provides life.

All the elements are in harmony with the tree. Everything is at one. As I watch the sun set on the last evening of 2016, I wonder how we would, as mankind, compare to the synchronicity of the Tree of Life?

Cartoon by Chris Madden

An old university friend of mine recently suggested I read "The Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tzu as translated by Stan Rosenthal in 1984. Reflecting on the year which has been, and looking to a new year, no.39 struck a chord with me.

"19. RETURNING TO NATURALNESS

It is better merely to live one's life,

realizing one's potential,

rather than wishing

for sanctification.

He who lives in filial piety and love

has no need of ethical teaching.

When cunning and profit are renounced,

stealing and fraud will disappear.

But ethics and kindness, and even wisdom

are insufficient in themselves.

Better by far to see the simplicity

of raw silk's beauty

and the uncarved block;

to be one with oneself,

and with one's brother.

It is better by far

to be one with the Tao,

developing selflessness,

tempering desire,

removing the wish,

but being compassionate"

In 2016 we have seen cunning and profit succeed, we have seen selfishness create a reign of fear where many are afraid of their brothers. We have seen hostility between men and nations. We have seen mothers and children dying with no other place to go.

So what to do differently in 2017?

We have so many examples of people performing selfless acts of kindness and courage. People working two to three jobs to support an extended family. People working within their communities to uplift the poverty-stricken. Stories are abound where families and individuals have made the decision to simplify their lives, to live more naturally and embrace the beauty of the raw silk and the un-carved block.

As more and more of us make these conscious choices with the small things in our lives, the choice to live with less, act with less malevolence, and to embrace the natural ebb and low of life, let go of our ego's, we can germinate seeds of change. We can return to a state of harmony like the Tree of Life.

Mulberry Tree seedling

The change starts within. 

Raw mulberry silk yarn

Advent Invitation

It may feel as though we live in times of constant change:

·      Today the Americans go to the polls to elect a new President – whichever candidate wins they will leave their mark not just on the U.S.A. but on the world as a whole;

·      The UK’s Brexit referendum has already caused a wake of comments and legal, economic and diplomatic reactions, with its on-going ripples being felt around the globe;

·      Sir David Attenborough launched the second of his outstanding insights into Earth’s wildlife and, in the first programme that was broadcast in the UK last Sunday evening, he highlighted the huge impact we as a species have had on our planet even over the decade since the first Life on Earth series was run; and

·      I listened to an inventor earlier this morning describing a small solar powered ear tag that will enable farmers to assess the health of their livestock over a fifty mile radius, while sitting in the warmth at home, they now can, as an example, locate a single sheep (within a scattered flock on a misty hillside) at the moment it goes into labour due to signals indicating a drop in temperature and an increased pulse – technology is changing almost every aspect of how we live.

But, some things do not change – The Advent Blogs Series will be published again this year and I am both delighted an honoured to be the host. However, I cannot do it without your help…

By way of an explanation to those who are new - Traditional Advent calendar windows start being opened from the 1^st of December, with a new surprise being revealed daily. The Advent Blog series is the same, in that a new post is published each day. However, despite being called the Advent Blog series, these blogs are not a religious countdown and the series is not limited to just 24 posts. In recent years the contributions have continued well into the New Year, with people contributing posts from around the world and from a mixture of backgrounds and outlooks - you can read a summary of some of last year’s posts here. All authors are welcome. I remain indebted to Alison Chisnell for founding the series back in 2011; it is a credit to her and all the contributors’ enthusiasm that the Advent Blogs have now become a much-loved annual tradition.

Last year’s series, under the heading of “Comet Tails and Coal Dust” was amazing, with people commenting on a range of personal highs and lows, as well as individual family reminiscences and topical observations. This year’s theme is “Heights, Hearts and Hollows”. I hope at least one of these words will resonate with you and inspire you to compose a piece to be included for the pleasure of all who follow and read the series.

So, what is the story that you want to share this year? What dizzy heights have you scaled? 

Whose heart have you touched or what has moved you? 

Have you had to cope with challenges ? 

or felt low?

What are you aiming for next year, what do you want to be different or better?

For me, one of the best things about the Advent Blog series is that people use it as a place to be themselves – open, honest, no sales or spin, just a global group of individuals, from diverse backgrounds, doing something together and for each other. Each contribution is unique – every submission makes its own personal impact, and as a whole they create an extraordinary series.

If you would like to contribute, please get in touch with me via the comments section below, via Twitter or by any means that you can find to track me down. I’d love to hear what you’ve got to say.